Cursor control device

Abstract

A cursor control device or "optical mouse" for use with an interactive display oriented computer system to provide movement for a visible cursor from position to position on a display screen of such a system. The device includes an IC chip that contains an optical sensor array and circuitry to bring about detectable bitmaps based upon a plurality of sensor cells making up the array. The distinguishable bitmaps are employed as a means for comparison to provide an output indicative of the direction and amount of movement of the cursor control device relative to an optical contrasting input to the array, the output is employed as a means to move the visible cursor from position to position on a display screen.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a cursor control device to provide an output indicative of the amount and direction of relative of the device, said device including a housing,   a planar array pattern,   said housing moveable relative to said pattern,   illuminating means mounted in said housing to direct radiation to a portion of said pattern,   sensor array means mounted in said housing to receive and detect radiation reflected from said illuminated pattern portion, said array means comprising a plurality of sensor cells and circuit means coupled to each of said sensor cells to provide a plurality of cell outputs each capable of representing whether a cell has sensed a predetermined quantity of radiation received from said pattern portion and providing a corresponding output signal the output signal of each of said cells coupled to at least one neighborhood cell to permit the alteration of the output of said coupled cells whereby said pattern portion is recognized as one of a limited plurality of predetermined patterns.   
     
     
       2. In the cursor control device of claim 1 wherein said sensor cells comprise a linear array of cells. 
     
     
       3. In the cursor control device of claim 1, said circuit means is responsive to said predetermined patterns formed by said sensor array means for generating coordinate signals corresponding to changes in the position of said cursor control device relative to said planar array pattern. 
     
     
       4. In a cursor control device, optical sensor imaging array means to receive and detect radiation from an illuminated pattern having a field of contrasting features, said sensor array means comprising an array of sensor cells each capable of sensing and converting radiation into an electrical signal, circuit means coupled to each of said cells to receive said electrical signals, each of said cells in said array electrically coupled as an input to at least one neighborhood cell, the electrical correspondence among said cells in said array is such that at least one of said cells in said array has sensed radiation while the remaining cells have either not sensed radiation or have been inhibited from sensing radiation, thereby producing an optically sensed bitmap of a class of bitmaps formed by said array derived from the instantaneous cursor control device position relative to said pattern, said bitmaps indicative of the amount and direction of relative movement between said cursor control device and said pattern derived from a comparison between a new bitmap established from a new cursor device position with a previous bitmap established from a previous cursor device position. 
     
     
       5. In the cursor control device of claim 4 wherein said sensor array means comprises a linear array of cells. 
     
     
       6. In an interactive display-oriented computer system having a display device with a viewing screen, a display cursor movable about the screen by means of a separate cursor control device moveable over a planar surface in proximity to the system, said cursor control device to provide an output to the display device indicative of the amount and direction of movement of the cursor on the viewing screen, said control cursor device comprising a housing,   a planar array pattern,   said housing moveable relative to said pattern,   illuminating means mounted in said housing to direct radiation to a portion of said pattern,   sensor array means mounted in said housing to receive and detect radiation reflected from said illuminated pattern portion, said array means comprising a plurality of sensor cells and circuit means coupled to each of said sensor cells to provide a plurality of cell outputs each capable of representing whether a cell has sensed a predetermined quantity of radiation received from said pattern portion and providing a corresponding output signal, the output signal of each of said cells coupled to at least one neighborhood cell to permit the alteration of the output of said coupled cells whereby said pattern portion is recognized as one of a limited plurality of predetermined patterns,   said circuit means responsive to the changes in said predetermined patterns formed by said sensor array means to generate coordinate signals to said display device corresponding to changes in the positional movement of said cursor control device relative to said planar array pattern and correspondingly, the desired change in the position of said display cursor on said viewing screen.   
     
     
       7. In a cursor control device to provide an output indicative of the amount and direction of relative movement of the device, said device including a housing   a planar array pattern,   said housing moveable relative to said pattern,   illuminating means to direct radiation to a portion of said pattern,   sensor array means mounted in said housing to receive and detect radiation reflected from said illuminated pattern portion,   said array means comprising a plurality of sensor cells,   circuit means coupled to said sensor cells to provide a plurality of cell outputs each capable of representing whether a cell has sensed a predetermined quantity of radiation received from said pattern portion and providing a corresponding output signal the output signal of each of said cells coupled to at least one neighborhood cell to permit the alteration of the output of said coupled cells whereby said pattern portion is recognized as one of a limited plurality of predetermined distinguishable bitmap representations, each of said bitmap representations indicative of a particular positional relation of said array means relative to said planar array pattern.   
     
     
       8. In the cursor control device of claim 7 wherein said sensor cells comprise a linear array of cells. 
     
     
       9. In the cursor control device of claim 7, said circuit means responsive to a sequence of said predetermined distinguishable bitmap representations due to said relative movement for generating coordinate signals corresponding to changes in the position of said cursor control device relative to said planar array pattern. 
     
     
       10. In a cursor control device to provide movement for a cursor from position to position on a display screen including sensor imaging array means to receive and detect radiation from an illuminated pattern, said sensor array means comprising a plurality of optical sensor cells capable of sensing and converting radiation into electrical output signals when any one thereof has sensed a predetermined quantity of radiation, a field of contrasting features detectable by said sensor array, the difference in the spatial frequency of said contrasting features in said field relative to the spatial relation of said cells productive of an intermediary pattern comprising at least one detected contrasting feature from said field, circuit means coupled to each of said cells to receive said output signals with the output signal of each of said cells coupled to at least one neighboring cell in said array to alter the output of said neighboring cell resulting in the recognition of said intermediary pattern as being one of a limited plurality of predetermined such patterns. 
     
     
       11. In the cursor control device of claim 10 wherein said output alteration is one of inhibiting the response of said at least one neighboring cell when a cell coupled thereto has detected said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field productive of said output signal from said coupled cell. 
     
     
       12. In the cursor control device of claim 11 wherein the degree of inhibition imposed by said coupled cell extends to cells in said array beyond said at least one neighboring cell. 
     
     
       13. In the cursor control device of claim 10 wherein said output alteration is one of enabling the response of said at least one neighboring cell when a cell coupled thereto has detected said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field productive of said output signal from said neighboring cell. 
     
     
       14. In the cursor control device of claim 13 wherein the degree of enablement imposed by said neighboring cell extends to cells in said array beyond said coupled cell. 
     
     
       15. In the cursor control device of claim 10 wherein said sensor array means comprises a linear array of cells. 
     
     
       16. In a cursor control device to provide movement for a cursor from position to position on a display screen in response to movement of said device over a surface, a housing, an optical sensor array comprising a planar array of optical sensor cells supported in said housing and producing a plurality of distinguishable bitmap images based upon a field of contrasting features provided to said array, circuit means coupled to said cells to provide a plurality of output signals each representative of whether a cell has sensed a predetermined quantity of light received from said field, said circuit means coupled to permit electrical correspondence of the output signal of each cell with at least one neighboring cell, the pattern of correspondence among said cells producing one of said distinguishable bitmap images and interpretable by said circuit means for generating coordinate signals corresponding to changes in the position of said cursor control device relative to said surface. 
     
     
       17. In the cursor control device of claim 16 wherein the electrical correspondence among said cells in said array is such that at least one of said cells in said array has sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field to produce said output signal and the remainder of said cells in said array either having not sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field or have been electrically inhibited by a neighboring cell via said output signal from reporting any sensitization from said field due to said electrical correspondence. 
     
     
       18. In the cursor control device of claim 16 wherein the electrical correspondence among said cells in said array is such that at least one of said cells in said array has not sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field and the remainder of said cells in said array having sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field and have indicated such to enable said nonsensing cells to produce said output signal due to said electrical correspondence. 
     
     
       19. In the cursor device of claim 16, each of said cells comprises a dynamic node, reset means coupled to said dynamic node and capable of charging said dynamic node to a voltage representing a first logic state, photosensitive means coupled to said dynamic node and capable of discharging said dynamic node to a voltage representing a second logic state, said circuit means includes logic means coupled to said dynamic node to provide said output signal when said dynamic node is at said second logic state, said output signal coupled to the input of the same logic means of at least one neighboring cell in said array. 
     
     
       20. In the cursor control device of claim 19 wherein said logic means includes an inverter coupled to said dynamic node to provide said output. 
     
     
       21. In the cursor control device of claim 19 wherein said logic means includes cross coupled NOR gates, an input of one NOR gate coupled to the output of one sensor cell and at least one other input to said one NOR gate coupled to the output of the other NOR gate, another input to said other NOR gate coupled to the output of at least one other sensor cell. 
     
     
       22. In the cursor control device of claim 19 wherein said logic means comprises pairs of cross coupled NOR gates, an input of one NOR gate coupled to the output of one sensor cell and at least one other input to said one NOR gate coupled to the output of the other NOR gate of each pair, the output of said one NOR gate coupled to an inverter, the output of said inverter coupled as an input to at least one of said other NOR gates in another of said cross coupled NOR gate pairs. 
     
     
       23. In the cursor control device of claim 16 wherein said sensor cells comprise a linear array of cells. 
     
     
       24. In the cursor control device of claim 16 wherein said sensor cells comprise a two dimensional array of cells. 
     
     
       25. In the cursor device of claim 1 wherein said sensor cells comprise a two dimensional array of cells. 
     
     
       26. In the cursor control device of claim 4 wherein said sensor array means comprises a two dimensional array of cells. 
     
     
       27. In the cursor control device of claim 7 wherein said sensor cells comprise a two dimensional array of cells. 
     
     
       28. In the cursor control device of claim 10 wherein said sensor array means comprises a two dimensional array of cells. 
     
     
       29. In a cursor control device to provide movement for a cursor from position to position on a display screen in response to movement of said device over a surface, a housing, an optical input providing a field of contrasting features, an optical sensor array comprising a planar array of optical sensor cells supported in said housing and capable of recognizing a plurality of distinguishable bitmap images upon relative translation between said array and said optical input, circuit means coupled to each of said cells to provide a plurality of cell outputs each capable of representing whether a cell has sensed a predetermined quantity of radiation received from said field and providng a corresponding output signal to inhibit the operation of at least one neighboring cell when said inhibiting cell has sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation, the neighborhood cell inhibition producing one of a limited number of said distinguishable bitmap images recognizable from said field and interpretable by said circuit means for generating coordinate signals corresponding to changes in position of said cursor control device relative to said surface and function to provide said display screen cursor movement. 
     
     
       30. In the cursor control device of claim 29 wherein each of said cells comprises a dynamic node, reset means coupled to said dynamic node and capable of charging said dynamic node to a voltage representing a first logic state, photosensitive means coupled to said dynamic node and capable of discharging said dynamic node to a voltage representing a second logic state, said circuit means includes logic means coupled to said dynamic node to provide said output signal when said dynamic node is at said second logic state, said output coupled to the same logic means of at least one neighborhood cell in said array. 
     
     
       31. In the cursor control device of claim 30 wherein said logic means includes an inverter coupled to said dynamic node to provide said output. 
     
     
       32. In the cursor control device of claim 30 wherein said logic means includes cross coupled NOR gates, an input of one NOR gate coupled to the output of one sensor cell and at least one other input to said one NOR gate coupled to the output of the other NOR gate, another input to said other NOR gate coupled to the output of at least one other sensor cell. 
     
     
       33. In the cursor control device of claim 30 wherein said logic means includes pairs of cross coupled NOR gates, an input of one NOR gate coupled to the output of one sensor cell and at least one other input to said one NOR gate coupled to the output of the other NOR gate of each pair, the output of said one NOR gate coupled to an inverter, the output of said inverter coupled as an input to at least one of said other NOR gates in another of said cross coupled NOR gate pairs. 
     
     
       34. In a cursor control device to provide an output indicative of the amount and direction of relative movement of the device, said device including a housing, an optical sensor array comprising a plurality of optical sensor cells each capable of producing an electrical signal upon sensing a predetermined quantity of radiation, illuminated means to provide a field contrasting features to said array for sensitizing selected ones of said cells productive of a group of distinguishable bitmap images each comprising at least one detected contrasting feature from said field by said array, circuit means coupled to each of said cells, the electrical correlation among said cells via said circuit means to inhibit the sensing operation of cells in said array that are neighbors to a cell that has sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation, said inhibition extended over a predetermined extent of the array whereby at least one of said cells in the array has sensed radiation and remaining cells in the array have either not sensed radiation or have been inhibited from sensing radiation, said inhibition thereby producing one of a limited number of possible distinguishable bitmap images recognizable from said field and useful to provide said output. 
     
     
       35. In a cursor control device to provide an output indicative of the amount and direction of relative movement of the device, said device including a housing, an optical sensor array supported in said housing and comprising a planar array of optical sensor cells each capable of sensing and converting optical radiation into an electrical signal, means to provide a field contrasting features to said array to permit the production of intermediary patterns by said array based upon the spatial frequency of contrasting features in said field relative to the spatial relation of said cells in said array and relative movement provided between said field and said array, and circuit means coupled to said cells with the output of each cell capable of representing whether a cell has sensed a predetermined quantity of radiation received from said field and providing a corresponding output signal, the output signal of each of said cells coupled to several neighboring cells in a manner to provide electrical correlation of each cell with at least one neighborhood cell whereby the combined output signals of said cells is are recognized as one of a limited plurality of distinguishable bitmap images derived from said intermediary patterns. 
     
     
       36. In the cursor control device of claim 35 wherein a sequence of said distinguishable bitmap images is interpretable as the amount and direction of relative movement between said cursor control device and said field, programmed logic means in said circuit means to provide said output based upon a comparison between a new bitmap image representative of a new device position relative to said field with a previous bitmap image based upon a previous device position relative to said field. 
     
     
       37. In the cursor control device of claim 35 wherein the electrical correlation among said cells in said array is such that at least one of said cells in said array has sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field to produce said output signal and the remainder of cells in said array either having not sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field or have been electrically inhibited by a neighboring cell via said output signal from reporting any sensitization from said field due to said electrical correlation. 
     
     
       38. In the cursor control device of claim 37 wherein the spacing between said features is greater than the extent of inhibition across said array but less than the extent of said array. 
     
     
       39. In the cursor device of claim 35 wherein the electrical correlation among said cells in said array is such that at least one of said cells in said array has not sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field and the remainder of said cells in said array have sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field and have indicated such to enable said nonsensing cells to produce said output signal due to said electrical correlation. 
     
     
       40. In the cursor control device of claim 35 wherein each of said cells comprises a dynamic node, reset means coupled to said dynamic node and capable of charging said dynamic node to a voltage representing a first logic state, photosensitive means coupled to said dynamic node and capable of discharging said dynamic node to a voltage representing a second logic state, said circuit means including logic means coupled to said dynamic node to provide said output signal when said dynamic node is at said second logic state, said output signal coupled to the same logic means of at least one neighborhood cell in said array. 
     
     
       41. In the cursor control device of claim 40 wherein said logic means includes an inverter coupled to said dynamic node to provide said output. 
     
     
       42. In the cursor control device of claim 40 wherein said logic means includes cross coupled NOR gates, an input of one NOR gate coupled to the output of one sensor cell and at least one other input to said one NOR gate coupled to the output of the other NOR gate, another input to said other NOR gate coupled to the output of at least one other sensor cell. 
     
     
       43. In the cursor control device of claim 40 wherein said logic means includes pairs of cross coupled NOR gates, an input of one NOR gate coupled to the output of one sensor cell and at least one other input to said one NOR gate coupled to the output of the other NOR gate of each pair, the output of said one NOR gate coupled to an inverter, the output of said inverter coupled as an input to at least one of said other NOR gates in another of said cross coupled NOR gate pairs. 
     
     
       44. In the cursor control device of claim 35 wherein said sensor cells comprise a linear array of cells. 
     
     
       45. In the cursor control device of claim 35 wherein said sensor cells comprise a two dimensional array of cells. 
     
     
       46. In the cursor control device of claim 35 wherein said array and said circuit means are integrally formed in an integrated circuit chip. 
     
     
       47. In the cursor control device of claim 35 wherein said field comprises a plurality of spatial features on a contrasting background, means to focus said input onto said array. 
     
     
       48. In the cursor control device of claim 47 wherein said features are light features on a dark background. 
     
     
       49. In the cursor control device of claim 47 wherein said features are dark features on a light background. 
     
     
       50. In the cursor control device of claim 47 wherein said features consist of a field of dots. 
     
     
       51. In the cursor control device of claim 47 wherein said features are uniformly spaced. 
     
     
       52. In the cursor control device of claim 47 wherein said features are nonuniformly spaced. 
     
     
       53. In a cursor control device to provide movement for a display cursor from position to position on a display screen in response to movement of said device over a surface, a housing, a planar array of optical sensor cells each capable of sensing and converting optical radiation into an electrical signal in response to a field of repetitive contrasting features, the spatial relation of said features and said cells productive of detectable patterns by said cells upon relative positional movement between said field and said array, and circuit means coupled to said cells to provide a plurality of cell outputs each capable of representing whether a cell has sensed a predetermined quantity of radiation received from said field and providing a corresponding output signal, the output signal of some of said cells coupled to at least one neighborhood cell in a manner to provide electrical correlation among said cells capable of altering the output of some of said cells whereby said field is recognized as one of a limited plurality of predetermined bitmap images and programmed logic means in said circuit means to interpret said predetermined bitmap images to generate coordinate signals corresponding to changes in the position of said cursor control device relative to said surface to provide said display cursor movement. 
     
     
       54. In the cursor control device of claim 53 wherein said electrical correlation among said cells is such that at least one of said cells in said array has sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field and the remainder of said cells either have not sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field or have been inhibited by a neighboring cell from reporting sensitization from said field due to said correlation whereby said sensing cells are productive of a first state output signal and said remainder cells are productive of a second state output signal, the totality of said output signals forming one of said bitmap images. 
     
     
       55. In the cursor control device of claim 53 wherein said electrical correlation among said cells is such that at least one of said cells has not sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field and the remainder of said cells have sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation and have indicated such to said nonsensing cells due to said correlation whereby said nonsensing cells are productive of a first state output signal and said remainder cells are productive of a second state output signal, the totality of said output signals forming one of said bitmap images. 
     
     
       56. In the cursor control device of claim 53 wherein said electrical correlation among said cells is such that at least one of said cells in said array has sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field productive of said output signal and the remainder of said cells either have not sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field or have been inhibited by a sensing cell output signal from reporting sensitization from said field. 
     
     
       57. In the cursor control device of claim 53 wherein said electrical correlation among said cells is such that at least one of said cells has not sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation from said field and the remainder of said cells have sensed said predetermined quantity of radiation and have indicated such to said nonsensing cell, said indication enabling an output signal from said nonsensing cell. 
     
     
       58. In the cursor control device of any one of the claims 53 through 57 wherein the extent of said correlation among said cells is determined by how many output signals from neighborhood cells are coupled to each cell representing the neighborhood, said extent governing the types and numbers of said bitmap images that are recognized by said circuit means.